1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an object identification device combined with the millimeter-wave passive image system and GPS for the blind, which identifies objects such as walls and cars by detecting the ambient environment through a 94-GHz millimeter-wave image system mounted on the eyeglass and informs the situation to a user by transforming the identified signal to the voice or sound.
2. Background of the Related Art
The development of equipments for the blind has been extremely limited due to the economical efficiency although there has been a significant enhancement, aiming at the improvement of the human being's welfare in these day, in the information industry such as communication technology and computer, making the blind continue to suffer from the inconvenience that they have to lean on others when they utilize public facilities such as public buildings, bus stops and subway stations.
A variety of devices have been invented in order to resolve such an inconvenience of the blind, representatives of which include ultrasonic detector (Patent No. 89-002504 in Korea), interactive guidance system (Patent No. 10-0208772 in Korea) and voice guidance and acoustic signal transmission device (Utility Model 20-0193111 in Korea).
The context of the ultrasonic detector relates to an ultrasonic detector that helps the blind in walking by themselves without leaning on a stick or guide and its signal processing method. The ultrasonic detector irradiates the ultrasonic wave to an object in the atmosphere and makes the echo signal reflected from the object audible by using an signal processing method that makes the echo signal identifiable, allowing the user to identify the position, surface status and shape of the object. The ultrasonic wave is propagated through the atmosphere at the speed of 340 m/s, and the time delay amounting to several milli-seconds of the echo signal of the ultrasonic signal that occurs several meters ahead is too short to be audible. The ultrasonic detector detects the position of an object using a time delay method that the echo signal of the ultrasonic wave is put by order and enlarged along the time axis. However with the ultrasonic detector, it may be difficult to find obstacles, such as protrusions on the bottom, that can not be detected temporary, and to transmit the accurate information accordingly.
For the interactive guidance system featuring the low-voltage detection function to notify the battery exchange time and alarm function against loss in addition to the basic function to enable the blind to find the destination (fixed station), the fixed station installed at the destination that the blind may want to reach enables the blind to reach the destination easily, by communicating with them interactively through their portable devices and generating voice signals to guide them through an earphone or an external speaker. There are a building fixed station, a crossing fixed station and a bus fixed station and a stop fixed station in the fixed station. In addition to the basic function of the fixed station that makes a response with the wireless voice signal or speaker voice signal to the portable device, the crossing fixed station provides a signal generator switch setup function and the stop fixed station provides a bus call relay function. For this technology, the blind should have a portable device and fixed stations that can communicate with a portable device of the blind should be installed at buildings, crossings and buses, causing high-cost preparations.
The context of the voice guidance and acoustic signal transmission device relates to the transmission device that requests a voice guidance broadcast and acoustic signal to the voice guidance machine or acoustic signal generator when the blind pass through a crosswalk or a public place. Regardless of the place where the voice guidance device/acoustic signal transmission device is installed, it enables the blind to make sure a comfortable and safe job/life environments by providing audible voice guidance's and acoustic signal broadcasts through the continuous switching-transmission of signals using the vibration generated at the time when the blind walk at any public place. However it may suffer from failures due to weather status or seasonal change because it is installed at an outer side, and the installation cost is quite high because many signal devices should be arranged to ensure the system works effectively.